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CB2 plans task force to guide outdoor dining, curbside pickup and shared street use
Summary
Manhattan Community Board 2 said it will form a task force of committee chairs to advise on street‑space uses — including outdoor dining, sidewalk cafes, parking‑space conversions and curbside pickup — and to give rapid, community‑level guidance to city agencies as reopening proceeds.
Manhattan Community Board 2 announced May 11 that it will form a task force of committee chairs to create a concise set of community guidelines for temporary uses of street space, including outdoor dining, sidewalk cafes, parking‑space conversion and curbside pickup.
Chair Carter said the task force will bring together chairs from economic development, quality of life and transportation committees to "come up with a a very slimmed down, basically what we believe in as sort of as a community on those issues so that that can afford guidance to to the various offices." The goal, Carter said, is to move quickly so local businesses have clear, consistent guidance if the city allows expanded outdoor dining or street‑space reconfiguration.
Why it matters: committee members said restaurants and retail face overlapping regulatory and licensing regimes — sidewalk cafe licenses, Department of Health rules and city licensing for sidewalk/parking use — and that rapid, simple guidance would help small businesses act quickly once the city clarifies reopening phases. Carter noted examples elsewhere, including automatic short permits in other U.S. cities and locally successful models such as the Mulberry Mall and "dinner on Eighth."
Operational points and concerns: members discussed equity and logistics: allowing a restaurant to use parking spaces or an adjacent block could help businesses that cannot use the immediate sidewalk, but could also produce conflicts when neighboring retailers compete for limited street space. Retailers also stressed the need for short‑term pickup/drop‑off spaces to support brick‑and‑mortar stores. Carter said the task force may recommend that authorities allow temporary premise extensions and urged flexibility rather than overly prescriptive rules.
Next steps: Carter said the task force will be formed "in the next week or two" and will consult industry stakeholders and models from other cities. The board plans outreach to restaurants, retailers and licensing authorities to shape recommendations that prioritize resident safety and local economic continuity.
Additional context: the committee also noted federal legislative discussions about support for restaurants and that food‑truck and commissary regulations may affect where mobile vendors can operate during phased reopening.
